Rev's Place: December 2008

Shifra Home Prayer

A Prayer of Love,
Protects and Nurtures LIFE!

Almighty God our Father, Creator of all Life
We give you all praise, glory and thanks.
For you have created us in your image.

May we always give you thanks
In good and hard times
May we always remember your Love for us

As revealed by your Son - Jesus Christ!

May our hearts be open to the promptings of
Your Holy Spirit
So that we may act in LOVE for life
Granted only by YOU!

May the life you entrust to us
Always grow in LOVE for you
and all people.

Our Father ....

We ask your Blessing, in your Most Holy Name

Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Giving Birth to Jesus ... as Mary did ...

I read with interest recently a homily given by Fr Cantlemessa. He refers us to being like Mary ...

We conceive Jesus and we give birth to him. Well not in a physical sense, but in a spiritual way. The conception takes place in our hearts when we allow the Holy Spirit to reveal the love of God to us.

We give birth by allowing the Holy Spirit to overshadow us, transforming our lives and we manifest this by our actions. Giving birth to our Saviour!

If we conceive, but not give birth - have we not done a spiritual abortion?

At this joyous time of the year - Christmas - may we be open following the role of Mary by allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives and give the gift of Jesus to all we meet.

Blessing of Burdens

I recently came across this story. I decided to use it as part of my homily on the Good Samaritan - Luke 10:25-37. The main theme was 'Who is my neighbour?'

It was a privilege to be at St Andrew's in Oakville this Sunday and at the request of many parishioners I share the story:

Sadhu Sundar Singh, a Hindu convert to Christianity, became a missionary to his people in India. Late one afternoon Sadhu was traveling on foot through the Himalayas with a Buddhist monk. It was bitterly cold and the wind felt like sharp blades slicing into their skins. Night was fast approaching when the monk warned Sadhu that they were in danger of freezing to death if they did not reach the monastery before darkness fell.

Suddenly, on a narrow path above a steep precipice, they heard a cry for help. At the foot of the cliff lay a man, fallen and badly hurt. The monk looked at Sadhu and said, "Do not stop. God has brought this man to his fate. He must work it out for himself. Let us hurry on before we, too, perish."

But Sadhu replied, "God has sent me here to help my brother. I cannot abandon him."

The monk continued trudging off through the whirling snow, while the missionary clambered down the steep embankment. The injured man's leg was broken and he could not walk, so Sadhu made a sling of his blanket and tied the man on his back. With great difficulty he climbed back up the cliff, drenched by now in perspiration.

Doggedly, Sadhu made his way through the deepening snow and darkness. It was all he could do to follow the path. But he persevered, though faint with fatigue and overheated from exertion. Finally, he saw ahead the lights of the monastery.

Then, for the first time, Sadhu stumbled and nearly fell. But not from weakness. He had stumbled over an object lying in the snow-covered road. Slowly he bent down on one knee and brushed the snow off the object. It was the body of the monk, frozen to death.

Years later a disciple of Sadhu's asked him, "What is life's most difficult task?"

Without hesitation Sadhu replied: "To have no burden to carry."

Let us reflect on who is our nieghbour, ask God to reveal this to us .... be ready for a Blessing!

Deacon Randy
July 15, 2007

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Saturday, December 27, 2008

Giving Birth to Jesus ... as Mary did ...

Blessing of Burdens